Last night, I went from a play to a party. It reminded me how lucky I am to live in a big city. Joe’s 40th shin-dig was on the 43rd floor. The place had a fantastical view of downtown. It was on Lake Shore Drive and at the tip of Lincoln Park so the view was unobstructed by other buildings. Come May, I’ll celebrate 20 years living in Chicago. A view still makes me smile with pride and surprise that I live here.
Things I love about living in Chicago….
*Lake Michigan: The simplicity and the serenity of the water makes my front yard perfect. I don’t even have to mow.
*Wrigley Field: Whenever I can, I bike to work. And I love that I bike past Wrigley Field. The friendly confines are in my neighborhood. Despite their record, fans are loyal and fanatical. The energy is electric. This year, the Cubs celebrate their 100th birthday so the place is decked out in nostalgia and promise.
*Theatre: Storefront Theatre to the majestic Lyric Opera to the iconic Second City… the talent in this city is incredible. Where else could a gal start a theatre blog and see over a 1000 shows in six years? We’ve got a Broadway but our theatre isn’t contained on it.
*Bears, Cubs, Bulls, Soxes, Blackhawks: We have major (and minor too!) sports covered! Although my sports enthusiasm is limited to actually being present at a game or jumping on the playoff bandwagon, I’m still proud of our athletic strength.
*Downtown: The architecture spans the decades. Contemporary and historic buildings makes the city gawk-able. A river flows through it with bridges connecting one side to another. There is a uniqueness about this big city popping up on the riverbanks. Chicago is alive with a quaint old-fashioned vibe interlaced in progressive evolution. We continue to change for the better and still honor the past.
*My Neighborhood: I live either on the northern tip of East Lakeview or the southern tip of Uptown. Those are the residential names. Unofficially, I live in Wrigleyville or Boystown; Cubs territory or the LGBTQ neighborhood. I’ve lived in two locations but the same vicinity. It has shops, restaurants, coffee shops and is prominently connected to multiple public transportation options. And did I mention the lake?
*The Neighborhoods: Chicago boasts mega neighborhoods with cultural vibes: Chinatown, Little Italy, Ukraine Village, Wicker Park (hipsters), Lincoln Park (up and comers), Gold Coast (high rollers), Andersonville (suburbs in town), etc. The personality of the neighborhood lends itself to a lifestyle or an evening out.
*Caramel and cheese corn: The city fave is Garrett’s but any knock-off will do. The combination is a unique blend of sweet and savory.
*Chicago Transit Authority: I regularly bitch about public transportation…especially during the winter. The truth is the train and bus system is an intricate network. I can get anywhere within an hour if I plot it correctly.
*The people: We have the friendliness of Midwesterners combined with the global exposure of living in a big city. Cultures live side by side, maybe not always in unity but, in a resolve that people are different. We are an eclectic and scrappy people.
*Especially my friends! I’ve met the most wonderful people. The community that we have established allows me to be a big fish in a small pond, living next to a Great Lake.
*Photo courtesy of James